There are quite a few problems with the reasoning that Yahoo had good reasons for their ban on remote work as described in an article by Business Insider.
- Does VPN usage have any relationship with productivity? I see no reason to think so.
- Did 100% of remote workers have low VPN usage or just some? Does it make sense to drive your best people away?
- If an employee is abusing their situation as a remote worker, will that person suddenly become a superstar when chained to a desk? Are they perhaps more likely to become resentful?
- Why not speak to managers of employees whose remote work is suspect?
- The author does not appear to have spoken with any actual Yahoo employees. Is it so hard to find a few of the 11,500 out there?
- I have spoken with actual Yahoo employees and they are livid.
- US GDP per capita is rising as is the prevalence of telecommuting. Why would this correlation be reversed at Yahoo?
- Available research shows that telecommuters are at least as productive as those who work in an office. Again, why would Yahoo be different?
- Does anyone really believe that Yahoo's historically poor morale will be helped by tighter restrictions issued from on-high with no regard to individual circumstances? How do you react when your own employer does such things? When your morale is poor, how does that impact your productivity?
Assuming the Business Insider report is correct, it highlights an oft-ignored principle of using metrics to make decisions. It's not enough to use metrics, you must use the right metrics.
Yahoo senior management, for their part, are ignoring basic human nature. The moment you create an us-vs-them mentality in your people, you put your company on the fast-track to mediocrity. Why would you expect any other outcome?
Great ideas and great work come from people who feel valued and respected—people involved in collaboration rather than opposition. I am surprised I have to explain this.
--mkb